Let's Talk About Periods

Aunt Flo isn’t going anywhere, so maybe it’s time you got to know her a bit better.

Assuming you had your first period around 12, you should be pretty familiar with the monthly bleeds by now. Whether you’re one of the lucky ones who sail through yours with ease, or if you’re more like the vast majority of us who suffer from cramps, bloating and hormonal pimples, periods are here to stay. Here are 15 lesser-known facts that may both shock and intrigue you.

1 YOU’LL EXPERIENCE MANY PERIODS IN YOUR LIFETIME

According to a survey of over 1,000 women published in the journal The Lancet, a woman living in an industrialised country can expect to have roughly 450 periods in her lifetime.

For comparison, women living in prehistoric times only had an average of 160 periods. This is likely because in modern times, we start menstruating earlier, have fewer pregnancies, give birth later, spend less time breastfeeding, and ultimately enter menopause later than our ancestors.

2 YOU CAN GET PREGNANT WHILE ON YOUR PERIOD

Newsflash: Menstruation is by no means a natural form of birth control! Though rare, it’s still possible to get pregnant if you have intercourse while you’re on your period – and especially if you’re near the end of your bleed. Sperm can live for up to a week inside your vagina, potentially fertilising an egg if you ovulate soon after your period ends.

3 MENSTRUAL BLOOD IS NOT THE SAME AS NORMAL BLOOD

The reason why your period blood feels thicker and gooier than normal blood is because it’s mixed with lining that’s shed from your uterus. This is also why you sometimes pass out clumpy blood clots during heavier flow days.

Also, if you’ve noticed that your pad is collecting lots of darkish or almost black blood towards the end of your period, don’t panic. This is perfectly normal and happens when the blood is older and not being pushed out from the body as quickly